The Tree of Life divides critics and triumphs at Cannes

Tree of Life

Brad Pitt – The Tree of Life

– to watch the trailer, click the image
above –

“A unique film that
will split opinions every which way, which Fox Searchlight can
only hope will oblige people to see it for themselves.” – Hollywood
Reporter

Booed at its premier, but feted at Cannes with the top prize
– Palme d’Or – Tree of Life is the latest Version Original (V.O.)
movie on general release in France.

Glittering Prize
To say that the Tree of Life has received somewhat mixed reviews
is probably the understatement of the year! Critics disliked it…
and at its premier, sections of the audience actually booed it!
But, yet, the world’s top movie afficiandos (or at least those
that sat on the jury), voted it one of cinemas top prizes – the
coveted Palme D’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

Palme D’Or – Cannes

It is just one of those films that you will have to see to make
up your own mind on and it is probably well worth the effort.
most agree that Brad Pitt turns in one of his best, most powerful
performances to date.

“…The Tree of Life is nonetheless a singular work,
an impressionistic metaphysical inquiry into mankind’s
place in the grand scheme of things that releases waves of insights
amid its narrative imprecisions”. Hollywood Reporter

Tree of Life Synopsis
Tree of Life is a period film centered around three boys growing
up in the American Midwest of the 1950s.

The film follows the evolution of Jack, an eleven-year-old boy,
who is one of three brothers. At first, the world seems marvellous
to the child. He sees everything as his mother does, with the
eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, while
the father tries to teach his son the world’s way, of putting
oneself first. Each parent tries to influence Jack, who must reconcile
their claims with each other. The picture darkens as Jack has
his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world,
once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth.

Framing this story is the life of adult Jack (Sean Penn); a lost
soul in a modern world, seeking to discover amid the changing
scenes of time that which does not change: the eternal scheme
of which we are a part. When he sees all that has gone into our
world’s preparation, each thing appears a miracle precious and
incomparable. Jack, with his new understanding, is able to forgive
his father and take his first steps on the path of life.

The story ends in hope, acknowledging the beauty and joy in all
things, in the everyday and above all in the family — our first
school — the only place that most of us learn the truth about
the world and ourselves, or discover life’s single most important
lesson, of unselfish love.
Source: IMBd

“It�s impossible not to marvel at the ambition of The
Tree of Life…. Yet it’s impossible too not to overlook
the film’s many faults.”
Source: Sukhdev Sandhu, Daily Telegraph, London